Hydraulic expanding bar



' July 3, 1923. 1,460,508

D. v. SICKMAN HYDRAULIC EXPANDING BAR Filed July 1 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gluon: Toz

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DAVY VANCE SICKKAN, 01 DENVER, COLORADO.

HYDRAULIC EXPANDING BAR.

Application and July 1,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I DAVY VANCE SICK- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Expandin Bars; and I do declarethe following to a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same reference being had to the accom anying drawings, and to the characters 0 reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to hydraulic bars of the type described in Patent No. 1,225,062 granted to me May 8, 1917, in which a number of telescoping piston members are utilized as means of increasing the range of movement of the pistons'for the purpose of breaking down coal in mines and for such other uses as these devices may be capable of performing. By means of these telescoping pistons the bar is almost entirely relieved of the strain to which it would. be subiected if single pistons of the type shown in igs. 8, 9, 12, 13, 14 and 15 o my prior Patent No. 1,278,393, September 10, 1918, were used.

The object of the present invention is to make certain improvements in the design and construction of the telescoping reaction pistons disclosed in m previous patents as well as in the bar itse fwith respect to the shape of the bar and the relative arrange-.

ment of the pistons in the bar.

Havingbriefly outlined the objects of my invention, I W111 proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my improved hydraulic bar and telescoping reaction pistons therefor.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a cross section through a vein of coal which has been sheared by means of my hydraulic bars.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of my bar taken in a plane passing through the axis of one of the pistons showing the piston fully expanded.

Fi 3 is a cross section similar to Fig. 2 but s ows the pistons in collapsed position.

Fig. 4' is a detail view.

Fig. 5 shows a side elevation of bar B (F 8- j v 1921. Serial No. 481,810.

6 shows an end elevation of the same.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the iston expanded.

Fig. 8 shows a side elevation of bar A (Fig. 1), and

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of bar A.

In the drawing the same reference characters indicate the same parts in the different views.

In Fi 1 I have shown a view which indicates in a general way the manner in which my hydraulic bars are used for breakmg down coal. C represents a view of coal which has been undercut in the usual manner as indicated at U. At some distance above the undercut a rectangular slot S is cut by a special slotting machine; within this slot two hydraulic bars A and Bare inserted, the bar A being comparatively short and placed parallel to the back supporting wall W, the other bar B being longer and placed at right angles to the back supporting wall or parallel to the rib wall R, pressure is then applied to the pistons by means of pumps connected to pipes P and P. The istons are gradually projected until the con is sheared as indicated. The method thus'briefly outlined is described in detail in my oopending application, Serial No. 481,811, filed July 1, 1921, to which reference can be had to a more detailed description of this process.

The bar 5 is provided at spaced distances with suitable openings 6 provided near one end with an internally projlecting annular flange portion 7 having s ou ders 8 and 9, a cup shaped cylindrical member 10 is secured to the annular flange portion 7 by means of an outwardly projecting flange 11 having a shoulder engaging with shoulder 9; the width of flanges 7 and 11 are equal and form the bottom of an annular chamber in which reciprocates the sides 12 of cup shaped piston 13. The bottom 10 of the stationary cylindrical member 10 is provided with a screw threaded opening 14, into which is secured a tubular member 15. The lower end of this tubular member is provided with an internal flange 16 through which are a plurality of openings 17 for a purpose to be hereinafter described, Passing through the opening in the bottom of member 15 is a tubular member 18 provided with a flange 19 and opening 20 in the bottom. Passing the outward movement with respect to member 18. Secured to the upper end of tubular round disc having a plurality of openings 29 and a square opening 30 in which 1s slidably mounted a square stem 31 provided at one end with an integral flanged head 32 and having an auxiliary piston 33 secured to the opposite end by means of a screw 34. Clamped between piston 33 and the head of screw 34 is a gasket 35. Piston 36 is provided with cylindrical sides 37 having an inwardly extending flange 38 provided with a screw threaded opening 39. Secured tothe flange 38 of piston 36 by means of screw threads is a cylindrical tubular member 40 having an outwardly. extending flange 41, between which flange and flange 38 is clamped a leather gasket 42. The cylindrical member 40 is provided with a number of radially spaced longitudinal grooves 43 which cooperate with projections 44 on member 32 in a manner presently to be described. Cylinder 36, tubular member 40 and gasket 42 are assembled into a unit; this unit is then inserted into the cooperating cylinder 10; in order to accomplish this the grooves 43 are adjusted until they register with projections 44 on member 32. The cylinder is then slid into place and when the upper end of cylindrical member 40 comes below flange 32 the piston, as a whole, is rotated slightly so as to bring slots 43 and projections 44 out of alinement. The piston will then be prevented from falling out. If desired, the piston may be held against rotation, in the desired position, by means of a slot and spline (not shown).

Water under pressure is admitted to the pistons in the following manner: Pipe 45 is connected to a pump (not shown), from the pipe to the inside of member 15 a channel 46 is provided. This channel extends from pipe 45 inwardly into the cup shaped member 10 and downwardly to the level of the bottom thereof, it then extends across the bottom flange portion 10 into cylindrical member 15 thence upwardly in the wall of member 15. From chamber 46 four ports 47 47' and 48, 48' open into the interior of tubular member 15. The piston heads are provided on their inner surfaces with depressions X for the reception of member 32 and the end of tubular member 15 in the manner shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The pistons being in their collapsed position,

as shown in Fig. 3, liquid under pressure is admitted through pipe 45 and passing through channel 46 enters the interior of tubular member 15 thru ports 47,47 and 48 48. It will be noted (Fig. 3) that when the pistons are collapsed one port (47) occupies a space between the edges of gaskets 24 and 35 while port 47 opens above piston 33 and both ports 48 and 48 open below piston 22, the pressureon both sides of pistons 33 and 22 is thus equalized. The water passes through port 47 thence thru openings 29 and 32 into the interior of iston 36, thence thru channels 43 downward y into the space between the lower end of the piston and bottom of member 10. Piston 36 will then move u wardly. When the iston has moved a sulficient distance to ena le the top part of member 40 to engage the projections 44 on member 32, the latter will be raised carrying with it the stem 31 and piston 33 until finally piston 33 passes above port 47 and further flow of liquid into piston 36 is prevented. Piston 33 however, continues to move until spring 25 is entirel compressed and plate 32 reaches the dotte line position indicated at 132. Simultaneously with the above, water passes through ports 48, 48 down= wardly through openings 17 and enters between the head of piston 13 and the lower side of the bottom of member 10; as the water enters this space, piston 13 moves downwardly until head 22 of pin 21 engages the flange 19 of tubular member 18 and moves piston 22 downwardly until it finally passes below ports 48 when the water is prevented from flowing to the interior of piston 13. Piston 22 continues to move downwardly until spring 25 is entirely compressed and the bottom stem 18 reaches the dotted line posit-ion indicated by 118. Should there be a slight leakage past gasket 24 of piston 22, piston 13 will move very slowly until at last leakage port 116 is uncovered allowing the leakage water to escape. In the same manner if water leaks past piston 33 then the main piston 36 will move slowly upwardly until leakage port 117 is uncovered. By means of these leakage ports I have guarded against damage being done to the apparatus on account of any slight leakage past the auxiliary pistons.

When the pressure is removed springs 25 and 25' will move pistons 22 and 33 backwardly until gaskets 24 and 35 pass ports 48' and 47 thus permitting the water to pass from the piston chambers so that when the pumps are reversed the water will be permitted to flow freely into channel 46 and allow the pistons to assume the collapsed po-' sition shown in Fig. 3.

On account of the enormous pressures em ployed, the various joints are brazed so as to form a substantially integral connection between the several parts.

It has been found that at times it is very desirable, in order to obtain the best results, that the pistons shall act on the coal at an angle to the horizontal so as to resolve the force exerted into a horizontal turnin movement and a vertical shearing force; or this reason I have shown the axis of the istons inclined. In the long, bar, marked the pistons are inclined to the longitudinal axis of the bar (Fi s. 1, 5, 7). In the short bar, marked A, t e pistons are inclined transversel as indicated in Figs. 1 and 9.

In partly in section of bar B showin the pistons in their collapsed position an showmg also pi es which connect the various pistons with the control valves not shown).

In Fig. 7 I have shown t e pistons extended and the pipes 45 covered with a plate 100; this plate 1s applied for the purpose of covering the pipe 45 and providing a smooth outer surface.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to protect by the patent and therefore claim is:

1. A hydraulic bar having a plurality of chambers arranged at suitable intervals, walls arran ed in said chambers, each wall separating its chamber into two compartments, means for securing said walls to said bar, a tubular member secured to said wall and projecting into one of said compartments, an auxiliary iston in said tubular member having a ho ow tubular projection extending thru an opening in said wall, a pin secured to the piston and having a headed ortion slidable in said tubular rojection an engageable with a flange on said tubular projection whereby the piston moves the auxiliary piston toward the end of its movement.

2. A hydraulic bar, a plurality of chambers arranged at aced intervals, 0. c lindrical cup shaped wa l separating each 0 amber into two compartments, two oppositely arranged cup s aped main pistons telescopicall connected with said wall member, a gas et carried by the bottom of said wall member and engaging with the inside of one of said main pistons, a gasket carried by the other main piston and engaging with the inside of said wall member, a tubular member secured to the bottom of said wall member and projecting into one of said compartments, an inwardly directed flange .on one end of said tubular member, an auxiliary piston in said tubular member, said auxiliary piston having a hollow stem projecting thru said tubular member, a helical spring on said stem and located between said auxiliary iston and said stem and means having a 0st motion engagement with said hollow stem and connected to one of said main pistons ig. 5 I have shown a side elevationwhereby the latter will move the auxiliary piston against the tension of said spring as bottom of said wall member and having one end extending into one compartment, the other end being provided with an inwardly directed flan e, an auxiliary piston in said tubular mem er and lost motion connection between said auxiliary piston and one of said main pistons, a second auxiliary piston in said tubular member, a stem of non-circular cross section attached to said last named auxiliary piston, a disc connected to the other end of said stem, a disc-like member slidably connected to said stem between said disc and piston, said disc-like member being firmly secured to the open end of said tubular member and lost motion connection between said disc and the other main piston whereby the latter will move the second named auxiliary piston as it approaches the end of its stroke.

4. In a h draulic bar, a chamber, a cylindrical cup s aped wall member dividing said chamber into two separate compartments, two oppositely arranged main pistons telescopica ly connected to said wall member one of said pistons operating in each of sai com artments, a tubular member secured to the ottom of said wall member and o eni into each of said compartments, a c anne in said wall member communicating with a channel in said tubular member, ports in said tubular member joining said channel to the interior thereof, two auxiliary pistons in said tubular member for controlling the flow of liquid from said ports to said compartments, and lost motion .connection between each of said auxiliary pistons and the corresponding main piston whereby the latter moves the former, as they ap roach the end of their travel and automatically stop the flow of liquid into said compartments.

5. In a hydraulic bar. having a chamber and a cup shaped wall member dividing said chamber into two compartments, a piston in one of said compartments, said pistons comprising a c lindrical portion having one end closed, an forming the pressure exerting end thereof, an inwardl directed flan e in the other end, a screw t readed cylin rical member secured to the inner per phery of said flange, said cylindrical member having an outwardly directed flange'and a gasket clamped between the flan e ofsaid piston and the flange of said cy indrical member.

6. A device in accordance with claim 5 1n which the screw threaded cylindrical member has axial grooves out along the inner surface thereof.

7. In a hydraulic bar having a chamber therein, a cup shaped wall member for d1- viding said 0 amber into two compartments and oppositely acting cylindrlcal cup shaped pistons slidably arranged 1n each c01npartment, means for locking one of said pistons in place so as to prevent accidental removal, comprising a tubular member secured to the bottom of said wall member and pro ecting into one of said com artments, a circular disc like member slida 1y connected to said tubular member, said disc like member havin outwardly rojecting teeth' thereon, a cy indrical mem r secured to an inwardl directed flan e of said piston, said cylindrical member aving longitudinal grooves in the inner surface thereof, corresponding in size and location with the teeth on said disc whereby the tubular member may be passed over said disc and then rotated so as to brin the grooves and teeth out of alinement and prevent removal of said piston.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

DAVY VANCE SICKMAN. 

